All over California you can find some of the most beautiful real estate offered for sale or rent. The exclusive neighborhoods that some of the most famous people in the world call home making it one of the most expensive places to live, but also the most enjoyable. If you want to live there, you can find smart homes that are well above the million dollar price tag but you can also find some at much more reasonable prices. Learning how to find homes in California can be easy, if you know where to look. There are homes available that are in your price range and in the area you want to live.

California is the third largest State in the US in terms of square footage and it has the largest population of all of the States, with almost 37,000,000 residents. http://www.mahalo.com/california The gold rush in the 1800s started the irresistible appeal of California that the entire State has used to lure people from all over the map, right onto her soil. The cool Northern hills of San Francisco, the promises of Hollywood and the Southern charm of San Diego has kept the homes selling at prices that are higher than homes in other parts of the country.

The real estate market in California has been steadily rising since the 1970s. In 2007, the median price for a single family home was more than $560,000, the projected price in 2010 is $280,000. http://www.car.org/marketdata/housingmarketforecast/In the early 1970s, the price for a single family home was a mere $24,000, the exploding population has sent the prices of all real estate in the State into price ranges that was once only imagined. But, you can still find some bargains if you look in the right places. When you look at the advertisements, you will see the million dollar ocean front homes for sale but, you can also find yourself a cute little bungalow that could be perfect for you.http://www.mybudget360.com/the-miseducation-of-the-california- housing-market-5-reasons-why-California-housing-still-has-3-years-before- hitting-a-bottom/

When you start your search for a home in California, you have to narrow your search so the you can have a better chance of finding the perfect home in your price range. The first place to look for homes at discounted prices are the foreclosures listed in the local newspapers and on various websites. Foreclosed homes listed in the real estate section are priced well below the book market value of the property. The best place to find real estate and foreclosure lists, are on the HUD website. HUD has a list of all of the foreclosed homes in all of the cities, all over the United States. You can also find out how to get an FHA loan and you can help with your down payment.

Since properties all over California are so sough after right now, you may want to look for homes that are being auctioned to the public or homes that you can get with down payment assistance. The median price for a home in California has dropped by more than 50% in the last three years due to the historic rise in foreclosed homes and other foreclosed properties. These falling prices mean there are a lot of houses sitting empty, mainly because of the the high unemployment rates and the economic crisis. http://www.car.org/marketdata/housingmarketforecast/ Here is a list of government agencies that offer assistance to home buyers who are looking for homes for sale in California (and all over the United States).

1. HUD http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/topics/hud_homes

1. Department of Veteran Affairs http://www.homeloans.va.gov/pm.htm

1. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)http://www2.fdic.gov/drrore/

1. US Department of The Treasury Internal Revenue Servicehttp://search.treas.gov/search?q=california&output=xml_no_dtd&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&ie=UTF-8&client=auctions&oe=UTF-8&proxystylesheet=auctions&site=Auctions

At each of these websites listed, you will find a list of the homes available in California. Some of them are foreclosed homes, some are being offered at auction, all of them will be sold at competitive prices.

There are many listings of houses for sale in newspapers and on the Internet. The current real estate market will make it possible for you to find dozens of homes, you can even find a home listed for sale by owner. When you buy a home this way, the buyer and the seller need to know what they are supposed to do so that the sale will be a good experience for both. If you choose to buy your home from the owner, get a much information as you can about the proper and legal way to buy a home in California.

When you are ready to buy a for-sale-by-owner home, you can do it yourself when you know the right steps. http://www.forsalebyowner.com/education/index.php/buying-a-home/the-home-search/54-the-home-search/319-how-to-buy-a-for-sale-by-owner-home

1. Spend money on a reputable local real estate attorney to help you with the legalities of buying a home. The money spent is worth it when you buy your home without any legal complications.
2. Make sure you are pre-approved before you approach anyone about their property. The homeowner want to get the sale finished as quickly as possible and should not have to wait while you find out if you qualify for a mortgage loan.
3. After you have found the home you want to purchase, make contact with the owner by telephone or through email. If you have any questions at all, now is a good time to ask them. If you are satisfied with the answers and you want to proceed, make an appointment to meet face to face. You can make a tour of the home during the meeting and this will give you a chance to see if you still want the property.
4. Get a copy of the market value of the home and property to see if the asking price is comparable to the other homes in the neighborhood. To find out the true value of a piece of property, you need to get an appraisal or a property report to determine the value of homes in the immediate area.
5. Make an offer to the home owner if you decide you want to buy. You can get the official papers from your attorney. If you did not hire an attorney, you can get the necessary papers from different sites on the Internet and from the courthouse or housing administration.

You will need to get the home inspected before you sign the final papers to close the deal. The results of the inspection will determine if you want to continue with the deal or if you have to keep looking. There are thousands of homes in for sale in California. The Internet, newspapers and the long drives around different neighborhoods can help you find your dream home.http://www.forsalebyowner.com/education/index.php/buying-a-home/the-home-search/54-the-home-search/319-how-to-buy-a-for-sale-by-owner-home

If you are looking for a home in an unfamiliar area, you will probably need some help finding and viewing available properties. A realtor can assist you in viewing homes with the amenities that you expect. When you go on a home buying search on your own in unfamiliar locations, it is difficult to know where the hidden treasures are. You realtor will have access to the information that list the unbelievable bargains and the homes that fit closely to your own list of demands. Single family homes in California offered at affordable price are sometimes purchased as soon as they are shown to the public. You broker may be able to show you properties that are fresh on the market at a price that is perfect for your budget.

What is a Realtor?

• A realtor is a real estate agent who is registered member of National Association of Realtors (NAR). This membership stipulates a code of ethics that each realtor must follow as well as an official Standard of Practice that dictate the professional practices of every realtor. The National Association of Realtors started in 1908 with 120 members, today there are more than 720,000 registered real estate agents who are willing to help home buyers find a home.http://www.realtor.com/basics/allabout/realtors/whatis.asp

When you choose a realtor to help you find a home, you will have someone who will work to help you find homes for sale. You can find a list of Realtors and a comparison of lenders in California and their interest rates, on the NAR website.http://move.moving.com/mortgage/mortgage-quotes-results.asp?intBankrateMarketUID=4&intBankRateLoanType=1&BankRateState=6&BankRateCity=4&BankRateLoanPurpose=1&txtBankRateLoanAmount=%24300%2C000&BankRateDownPayment=20&BankRateEquityMortgageoption=-1&BankRateFICORange=-1&BankRateMortgageOption=1&BankRateLoanType=1&BankRatePoints=4&txtCity=Los+Angeles&txtBankRateLoanType=30+yr+fixed&txtIsJumbo=false&txtBankRatePoints=All+Listing&BankRateLoanAmount=300000&PageState=1&cmdSubmit=Search

What Can a Realtor Do For You?

• A realtor is aware of the properties available in the area you choose and this information will help them find the home that is in your price range. Because of the inside information available to a realtor, you can expect to be informed of zoning laws, taxes, schools in the area and other facts that can make buying your home easier.

http://www.realtor.com/Basics/AllAbout/Realtors/CanDo.asp

You home buying experience can be made a lot easier with the help of an experienced realtor. Look for one in the city where you are going to buy your home.